Thursday, May 31, 2012

Pakse, Champasak Province, South Laos - After another quick shower at the spiffy Champasak Palace Hotel, I went down my 2nd floor room. It was almost 1 PM and I was aware it was my last chance to explore the part of Pakse I didn't see the last time I was here.

Pakse, the capital of Champasak Province, boasted of more energy than the Vientiane (Laos' capital) that I saw, mostly attributed to the hustle created by the nearby Thai border to the west. Moreover, there were several constructions on cursory glance and the markets hummed with moderate afternoon commerce. I lingered at my hotel's lobby for a few minutes to soak into its royal atmosphere. Fifteen minutes later, I found myself facing Route 13 (Road 13) - Pakse's national highway. It's kinda like an EDSA that stretches all the way from Manila to Baguio. It is a major thoroughfare. I wasn't able to explore it because my guesthouse last time was a quieter area beside the Mekong.

BUS TICKETS AND HAIRY GARBAGE

First on my agenda was buying my bus ticket to Ubon Ratchathani (Thailand) the next day. It was a mere 5 minute bike-with-sidecar ride (10,000 kip) south of Route 13 to Champasak VIP Bus Terminal. My bus was to depart at 8:30 AM. From there, I decided to walk and check out the sights. I was in no rush and I didn't have any place in particular to visit. This was freestyling time, so to speak. There was a day market from the side street of the terminal, directly facing Route 13. I carefully stepped on uneven slabs of concrete that lead me to the market. One stark observation was the rubbish around me - fruit peelings, crumpled sheets and pieces of hair - long strands! - lying on the ground! It was the hair that gave me goosebumps. :)

At the market, I found the fruit section so I bought myself 1 kilogram of dragon fruit - 3 pieces - at 12,000 kip ($1.50). The mangoes cost a little more (20,000 kip a kilogram). Just across the market was Hotel Champa which I've read from LP. A few steps from the hotel was Makky Noodle Shop. Since I haven't had lunch yet, it was time to try Pakse's Vietnamese Pho (noodle soup) which I've read in a couple of blogs.

The bowls looked big so I ordered "small noodle soup with beef" at 15,000 kip ($1.90). Now here's the dilemma: when they started serving my order, there were several more plates that accompanied my "pho". I was gonna tell them that I didn't order the extra plates until I noticed that the other customers had them as well. Hmm, so they were all part of the meal - much like a Myanmar dish which has a coterie of plates. Furthermore, they served a pitcher of orange-colored water. Orange juice? I asked. No one understood me. I had to rudely find out that this was the requisite serving of water - yup, "water"! Why yellow orange? Frankly, I had no idea. The others were drinking them so why not me? Would I deny myself the chance to taste this orange-colored water? Shame on you, gastroenteritis, I was gonna brave this one out!

Well, it tasted like water! LOL

After my later lunch, I started walking north. I saw a sports stadium and some banks (Lao-Viet Bank) and a sign that says I was in Ban Phonkoung. I saw some policemen stopping every motorcycle drivers plying Route 13. This was a familiar sight even in Manila and Ubon Ratchathani. I was kind of hoping this wasn't about fleecing people off their hard earned kip - but just some safety reminders on helmet use.

I walked towards an unmarked landmark but I didn't find any English translation. I sat there for 15 minutes, gazing at the elevation at the east - the Bolaven Plateau. Darn, I had been there! I couldn't believe it was that high, really! But it's nice to have a renewed perspective on the plateau.

After resting my feet, I chanced on a Chinese Temple, but it was closed so I had to move on. A block away was the Champasak Provincial Historic Museum. Beside it was the Champasak Library. I walked towards the latter, but backed off when I learned I had to take my shoes off to get in. Beside the library was the Museum. Entrance for foreigners was 10,000 kip ($1.25) and 2,000 kip ($0.25) for locals. Though not particularly excited about the visit, I was aware of its collection of lintels and several more statues taken from the Champasak temples. Majority of its display was sepia-fading photographs that plot the birth of communism in the country. I met a couple of monks who were more interested in me than the relics and displays, but I understood their curiosity. The visit didn't take me an hour, and navigating the 2-story museum was a breeze. It didn't hurt that the AC was spewing cool air amidst 33 degree C temperature outside. I shall post a separate piece on Champasak Historic Museum since I was able to take photos (despite the notice that says otherwise). I did ask for their permission.

After the museum, it was such pleasure to visit the sprawling Wat Tham Fai located just across Champasak Palace Hotel. Simply put, this temple complex was just "beautiful". The temples and its stupas come alive with color. I was particularly surprised because LP described it as "undistinguished, except for its spacious grounds". I had to disagree. I think I like this better than ornate Wat Luang. The temple grounds is also called "Wat Pha Baht" because it houses a small Buddha footprint - which I didn't see haha! What I did see were monks working overtime to cut the shrubs and tend to the garden surrounding the temple (first photo above); some sweeping the grounds. I must have taken half an hour to just sit and watch as the afternoon sun gradually mellowed to its hazy rays. It was a satisfying day, and I wasn't even done gallivanting yet.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Once upon a time, in a far away land of indomitable warriors, there lived a prince whose father succumbs to illness. Now who doesn't want a piece of this fantasy world? So when the opportunity presented itself, I booked for a room at a palace-turned-hotel in Pakse. Wouldn't you?

The Champasak Palace was a former residence of the Prince of Champasak, Chao Boun Oum, the son of King Ratsadanay from the latter's 4th wife, Princess Sudhisaramuni. Boun Oum ascended
to the throne in 1946 upon the death of his father. But he eventually renounced
his rights to give way to a united royalty system that made
Sisavangvong the ruler of the unified kingdom. He
became Prime Minister of Laos from 1948 to 1950 where, as a sympathetic patron
of the French colonial rule, he commanded a force of 15,000 to fight the
Japanese Troops and the Lao Issara uprising of South Laos. In 1960, he once
again became PM for two years, then retired from politics thereafter. When the
communist group Pathet Lao (a movement closely associated with the Vietnamese
communists) came to power in 1975, Boun Oum had to abandon his post, flew to
France for medical treatment and never came back. Sounds familiar? History is really a vicious cycle of seemingly preordained events, something that’s dressed differently where, in truth, is a familiar
animal. With the monarchy abolished, what is left for any royal blood to linger?

Construction of the palace began in 1968 and went on
until 1976 when the Prince of Champasak Chao Boun Oum had to abandon it 2 years
short of its completion. The architectural style is French, more than Lao, although, as mentioned before, it reminded me of Louisiana and New Orleans of a grander scale.

In 1995, a Thai conglomerate succeeded
their negotiations with the Lao government, effectively converting the palace
into a hotel. Though the establishment has been fitted for consumerism (so much for the tenets of communism, right?), much of
its interiors and designs have been retained: the hand-painted art-deco tiles; the exquisite hand carvings found in windows, stairway posts and cornices – each one
different from the next.

The hotel boasts of 5 floors, 116 guest rooms, 6
different categories (according to the financial capability of the guest),
glass elevator (the only one of its kind in the country) and a view of Pakse
right in the heart of the southern capital. As a trivia, the establishment has
1,900 doors and windows, thus earning it the moniker of “Thousand Room
Pavillion”.

Champasak Palace Hotel: grand wedding-cake layer design!

Though the hotel staff is mostly
hospitable and accommodating, their number is limited. In fact, a hotel this
big requires more personnel to run it competently. This is the reason why typical
(i.e. “expected”) services found in other nearby hotels and guesthouses - like day tours, purchase of bus and plane tickets,
transportations from and to the hotel, etc. - aren't offered here. One must arrange
and secure his own transfer arrangement. The hotel won’t do it for you. If you
require a tuktuk to take you around town, they will cordially offer a big grin
then point you to the highway just outside the hotel where you could hail
yourself transportation. Convenient, right?

The hotel is situated in the heart of
the city. With its very central site, every tuktuks from terminals (from the
VIP Bus Garage to the Southern Bus Terminal) know about this. And they cannot and
should not charge exponentially considering its distance from the terminals. It should range between 20,000 to 40,000 kip from the terminal to the hotel. Moreover, the place is a wee more hectic because the hotel is located beside Route 13, the main highway
that runs the north-south axis of Laos. There’s a beautiful, sprawling temple
complex - Wat Tham Fai - to its south; the Sedone River and a scenic bridge (Sedone I Bridge) to its east; a
backpacker’s row to the north; and the road towards Thailand to the west. Breakfast
is a sumptuous buffet at the main restaurant beside the front desk at
the hotel lobby. Dining tables are also available at the backyard garden.

LUXURIOUS DAYDREAMS

I got my room at the 2nd
floor, room 203. It had a veranda and faced the lawn. More importantly, it had tastefully
decorated interiors: from the curtains, fixtures of ceiling to floor, a huge bathroom with
a curvaceous tub, etc. It was a beautiful place to stay! At night, I could sit at a corner and daydream of its bountiful, nay adventurous past; of gracious princesses and lavish ceremonies. It isn't such a bad deal to get a piece of fairy tale here.

The hotel is located 3 kilometers from
Pakse Airport which has limited local services..

Call them at +856-31-212-263 or email
them at info@champasakpalacehotel.com.
You can also visit their website at http://www.champasakpalacehotel.com/.
More conveniently, Agoda offers discounts on certain months. A single standard room costs about 500,000 kip ($65 or P3,000) - and even cheaper if you a) book early, b) chance on a promo offer, c) book during an off-peak season. I would suggest Agoda, of course, for a no-frills booking. This includes buffet breakfast. Where else do you find palace living as cheap as this? Only in Laos.

Subscribe To

.

This is Eye in the Sky sipping coffee at the Dochula Pass 10, 500 feet above sea level. The mountain pass is located 30 minutes away from Thimpu, the Bhutanese capital. The pass offers breath-taking views of the snow capped Himalayan ranges.

...

Paris Charles De Gaulle's Predeparture Area is an eye-candy.

...

Revelry at San Agustin Church

...

Serenity at the Gap Farming Resort, Davao City

The Mekong as public bathroom in Don Kong, Siphandon's biggest island in South Laos.

Taj Mahal in Agra in the state of Uttar Pradesh: Every bit as stunning!

Rowing down Buriganga River from Sadarghat, one of the most sublime experiences to experience in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh.

...

Wooden pathway from the glass chapel on a hill to the beach in Pico de Loro in Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines.

Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon, Burma) - One early morning, I took a walk around the city when I suddenly noticed a parade of novice nuns (female monks) making their way from one block to the next. I was fascinated with their shaved head and the exuberance of pink and orange. For some reason, I just followed them, like a tail at the end of a queue. Before reaching their temple, this girl suddenly turns around and - naughtily makes a face! Snap!

Sunset and the Temples of Bagan. Boasting of more than 2,000 preserved temples built during the 6th century, Bagan outnumbers Angkor Wat's temples several times over. Bagan is Myanmar's most arid, with desert-like terrain, located some 600 km north of the former capital of Yangon. It is a 12-15 hour bus ride. This was from the Old Bagan area. My hotel was in Nyaung U. I hired a horse-drawn carriage to roam.

Jodhpur, Rajasthan's Blue City. This was taken from the Mehrangar Fort which sits atop a 150 meter hill. The fort is a whole city in itself, and would take 3-4 hours on a fast roving.

My camel Deeshka & his owner Dipsingh - I was waiting for the sunset at the Thar Desert which is located at the fringes of Jaisalmer, a boundary between India and Pakistan. It was a comfortable, wobbly 2-hour ride in the calm & quiet sand dunes.

Old Sukhothaii - 6 hours south of Chiangmai, 6 hours north of Bangkok, 1 hour from Phitsanulok

A tea house in Hangzhou, China

Shanghai, China - just a few walks from Xintiandi's Taicang Road

Inside Wat Niwet - Gothic Catholic-Inspired Buddhist Temple, Thailand

Maritime Museum, Old Batavia, Jakarta, Indonesia

Grande Island, Subic

On the way to Pau Gu Grotto, Thien Cung, Ha Long

Cave of the Heavenly Palace

Thien Cung Cave

2 boatmen, Ha Long Bay, Halong City

Ho Chi Minh Museum (their great hero's memorabilias)

dolls, temple of literature

Hanoi

are you lonesome - hanoi

selling what?

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

The Bayon (mysterious smiling faces looking down on you anywhere you turn)

Ta Prohm entrance

Banteay Srey (said to be the most beautiful coz of its pinkish color) - this is the "girly temple", and though it is pretty in reddish-pink, the area doesn't match the scope and grandeur of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Keo, Preah Khan, etc. It is also very far from the central temples, about 37kms from Siem Reap. I absolutely enjoyed the ride going there. Wind against my face, sun-soaked fields, and my tuktuk.

The Bayon's smiling faces - some 200 of them

Ta Prohm - nature vs. man-made structures

An alley at Angkor Wat. It took me a good 15 minutes to decongest this hallway just to get this shot. I was competing with a french man who wouldn't leave. At any time of the day, these temples are filled with tourists, bus-loads! The temples open at 5AM and close at 5PM. Other far-flung temples in the vicinity of the jungles like Sra Srang are less populous - unguarded and dangerous (landmines, local hoodlums waiting for lone trekkers, etc.). Tourists can visit such sites at their own risk.

Angkor Thom - kunyari 1204 BC. He he...

off the beaten track

Notre Dame Cathedral - near the main post office, Saigon. Gloomy day and I wasn't happy with the colors I was getting. My solution - good old sepia.